I wouldn’t go so far to say it’s the weakest, but the title track, Last December, and Diary are real heavy hitters that are just as good if not better. It speaks more to the overall quality of the album that Dante isn’t the runaway favorite.
GREATEST METAL ALBUM CUP - Winner: Iron Maiden - Seventh Son of a Seventh Son!
- Thread starter LooseCannon
- Start date
Diesel 11
As you scream into the web of silence...
I would personally rank the Burnt Offerings songs as such:
1. Dante’s Inferno
2. Burnt Offerings
3. Brainwashed
4. Creator Failure
5. Last December
6. Burning Oasis
7. The Pierced Spirit
8. Diary
If I were to assign ratings, none would be below an 8/10.
On the subject of Alive in Athens: honestly? It’s probably my favorite live record ever. The fact that they threw together most of their career highlights up to Something Wicked and even gave a definitive take on the pre-Barlow songs is awesome. That said, it’s too long for me to take as one album generally, and because of how it’s set up, it’s easy for me to need a break before the third disc. I’m expecting the vinyl in the mail though, so maybe the rearranging will work much better.
On the subject of Days of Purgatory: it’s... fine. I’d rather hear the albums or AIA.
1. Dante’s Inferno
2. Burnt Offerings
3. Brainwashed
4. Creator Failure
5. Last December
6. Burning Oasis
7. The Pierced Spirit
8. Diary
If I were to assign ratings, none would be below an 8/10.
On the subject of Alive in Athens: honestly? It’s probably my favorite live record ever. The fact that they threw together most of their career highlights up to Something Wicked and even gave a definitive take on the pre-Barlow songs is awesome. That said, it’s too long for me to take as one album generally, and because of how it’s set up, it’s easy for me to need a break before the third disc. I’m expecting the vinyl in the mail though, so maybe the rearranging will work much better.
On the subject of Days of Purgatory: it’s... fine. I’d rather hear the albums or AIA.
Diesel 11
As you scream into the web of silence...
“As an atheist”— I agree. The concept is pretty silly. I think Åkerfeldt took the whole anti-religious storyline to the point that it became overly cheesy. The music makes up for it though.
Lampwick 43
Barstool Warrior
I like Dance of Death significantly more than anything by AC/DC, however I'm voting for the latter purely for strategic reasons. The winner here will be going against one of my absolute favorite albums in the next league and I feel like AC/DC makes for a more favorable matchup.
Also voting for Opeth, Iced Earth, and Rush.
Also voting for Opeth, Iced Earth, and Rush.
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Can't believe Visions is out to some random Rush album...
Jer
A window to the west, a blazing star above
Lampwick 43
Barstool Warrior
If this was Roll the Bones, or something, you'd have a point. Hemispheres is FAR from a "random" Rush album.
Update tomorrow as I'm knackered, but quietly relieved DOD went down as I voted for it incorrectly.
SixesAlltheway
Ancient Mariner
Is this the first time a Maiden album lost to anything? (Finally I have to say, if that's the case)
Midnight
The Ever-Present "It"
Surprisingly, I'm beginning to agree with you on this.
Forostar
Ancient Mariner
Some big names coming up in League 3!
E.g.
Sabbath vs Priest (Sabotage vs Sin After Sin).
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JudasMyGuide
The resident reactionary recalcitrant
(Edited foreword: I'm putting this here and not in the IE thread because 1.) this here cup was the catalyst, 2.) Burnt Offerings were just now a part of the contest)
I just wanted to say here that thanks to this tournament (while also because they are much talked about lately and Schaffer's actions brought an outpour of reactions that made me realize just how much people care(d) about them - heck, I never knew Perun loved them that much) I'm really trying to "get into" Iced Earth. Again and again.
Because obviously there must be something to that band, although I'm unable to grasp it, really. I was relistening again to Burnt Offerings this morning on my way to work and it still kinda eludes me.
Take the title track - there's this "thrashy" feeling, but it doesn't go far enough for me. I mean, the riffs and even the vocals are just not there? Like the riffs are nice, but this to me is a proper thrash riffing
Whereas Schaffer has the sound, the energy, the style even, but something's missing. It doesn't drive the song forward as much, it's neither teeth-kicking enough nor catchy enough. And also - am I the only one who finds the repeating section that first begins after 1:30 (I think) to be downright taken from some Maiden track? (To Tame a Land, maybe?)
And while I like Barlow much more now, on the title track it really didn't work for me. It felt like he was attempting the thrashy sneer, but again, stopped short right before it. On Last December I liked him much more, although - and I don't mean this in an offensive way whatsoever - I don't get how someone would love Barlow and hate Blaze, their timbre and general way of expression is ... well, it's not the same, but it springs out of the same fountain, if you know what I mean.
Diary and Burning Oasis I like also much more and Inferno... dunno, it's still the biggest track here (not just length-wise) and I must say that for a band as specific as IE the fact that it even sorta holds together is very impressive. Despite what Perun said, it is the reason for my to try and get back to this album. Because of the scope, the atmosphere, the unmitigated audacity. I remember George Starostin ending his review for Bon Jovi's Keep the Faith by highlighting Dry County (a nine minute track), saying it would have to go, simply out of principle, because "quod licet Iovi, non licet Bon Jovi, as the Romans said, which freely translates into English as: «What the hell is a nine-minute song doing on a Bon Jovi record, of all possible places?»" And it's this gutsiness that makes both Dry County and Inferno actually kinda endearing to me.
Dunno, I'll keep trying. And I'll try out even some of the latter albums, IIRC I actually liked The Glorious Burden and Dystopia even had some good buzz about it when it came out. And I wonder how did Barlow evolve in the meantime and how did it work on The Crucible of Man.
Also, two things I have to admit with no "buts", 1.) Iced Earth is just such a cool name, right? 2.) Their covers are very intriguing and combined with the bands name also help with me trying to get back to the band, because it just looks so darn tasty.
Just a very cool image, is what I'm saying.
(Just wanted to show that I do listen and take your comments at heart... and try. Didn't mean to throw mud at the band, although it might seem that way)
I just wanted to say here that thanks to this tournament (while also because they are much talked about lately and Schaffer's actions brought an outpour of reactions that made me realize just how much people care(d) about them - heck, I never knew Perun loved them that much) I'm really trying to "get into" Iced Earth. Again and again.
Because obviously there must be something to that band, although I'm unable to grasp it, really. I was relistening again to Burnt Offerings this morning on my way to work and it still kinda eludes me.
Take the title track - there's this "thrashy" feeling, but it doesn't go far enough for me. I mean, the riffs and even the vocals are just not there? Like the riffs are nice, but this to me is a proper thrash riffing
Whereas Schaffer has the sound, the energy, the style even, but something's missing. It doesn't drive the song forward as much, it's neither teeth-kicking enough nor catchy enough. And also - am I the only one who finds the repeating section that first begins after 1:30 (I think) to be downright taken from some Maiden track? (To Tame a Land, maybe?)
And while I like Barlow much more now, on the title track it really didn't work for me. It felt like he was attempting the thrashy sneer, but again, stopped short right before it. On Last December I liked him much more, although - and I don't mean this in an offensive way whatsoever - I don't get how someone would love Barlow and hate Blaze, their timbre and general way of expression is ... well, it's not the same, but it springs out of the same fountain, if you know what I mean.
Diary and Burning Oasis I like also much more and Inferno... dunno, it's still the biggest track here (not just length-wise) and I must say that for a band as specific as IE the fact that it even sorta holds together is very impressive. Despite what Perun said, it is the reason for my to try and get back to this album. Because of the scope, the atmosphere, the unmitigated audacity. I remember George Starostin ending his review for Bon Jovi's Keep the Faith by highlighting Dry County (a nine minute track), saying it would have to go, simply out of principle, because "quod licet Iovi, non licet Bon Jovi, as the Romans said, which freely translates into English as: «What the hell is a nine-minute song doing on a Bon Jovi record, of all possible places?»" And it's this gutsiness that makes both Dry County and Inferno actually kinda endearing to me.
Dunno, I'll keep trying. And I'll try out even some of the latter albums, IIRC I actually liked The Glorious Burden and Dystopia even had some good buzz about it when it came out. And I wonder how did Barlow evolve in the meantime and how did it work on The Crucible of Man.
Also, two things I have to admit with no "buts", 1.) Iced Earth is just such a cool name, right? 2.) Their covers are very intriguing and combined with the bands name also help with me trying to get back to the band, because it just looks so darn tasty.
Just a very cool image, is what I'm saying.
(Just wanted to show that I do listen and take your comments at heart... and try. Didn't mean to throw mud at the band, although it might seem that way)
Forostar
Ancient Mariner
Burnt Offerings has atmosphere. In a unique a sinister and evil colour. Very dark moody stuff.
Other Iced Earth albums have atmosphere, but not this evil tone. Makes it extra haunting, for me at least, and I can certainly see how it appeals to others.
The doom metal passages in a few songs are also sparse or non existent in the rest of the catalogue, as are the brilliant bonesplicing screams by Barlow.
His debut was really something.
Let's not, under this already heapload of great ingredients, forget Iced Earth's main asset: the plain awesome riffs. Countless of mindblowing riffs.
Schaffer was (and perhaps still is) the riff master. The tightness, the patterns. Can't be touched. Only Jeff Waters is in this league.
One of my favourite riffs on this album must be the mid section in Brainwashed: click
Love how that long chord at the end works.
Gotta love watching it as well, with Smedley's supertight bass drums underneath:
Other Iced Earth albums have atmosphere, but not this evil tone. Makes it extra haunting, for me at least, and I can certainly see how it appeals to others.
The doom metal passages in a few songs are also sparse or non existent in the rest of the catalogue, as are the brilliant bonesplicing screams by Barlow.
His debut was really something.
Let's not, under this already heapload of great ingredients, forget Iced Earth's main asset: the plain awesome riffs. Countless of mindblowing riffs.
Schaffer was (and perhaps still is) the riff master. The tightness, the patterns. Can't be touched. Only Jeff Waters is in this league.
One of my favourite riffs on this album must be the mid section in Brainwashed: click
Love how that long chord at the end works.
Gotta love watching it as well, with Smedley's supertight bass drums underneath:
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I didn't expect that to come from you!
Midnight
The Ever-Present "It"
(Note: I haven't heard Burnt Offerings yet.)
Schaffer's staccato herta riffing does sound rather odd. It's the sort of thing you have to get used to.
Have you heard the Something Wicked trilogy? Prophecy/Birth of the Wicked/The Coming Curse - the last three songs on Something Wicked This Way Comes. The riffing is smoother, Barlow uses all his singing styles, and the Iron Maiden parts are less "plagiarism" and more "inspiration". It's only 20 minutes long!
SixesAlltheway
Ancient Mariner
If we're discussing thrash guitarists Jeff Waters is up there, but there's many I'd put above Schaffer.
JudasMyGuide
The resident reactionary recalcitrant
Yep and the Something Wicked album is probably the closest to my liking and the one I should use as the main jump-off point. The tracks you mention are excellent. I also like Offerings more than some other stuff and - again, IIRC - I was intrigued by Glorious Burden and surprisingly even the debut.
Couldn't really get to/appreciate The Dark Saga (I tried that one out at least seven times and still nothing clicked), Stormrider and even the beloved Horror Show did nothing for me, although I'm inclined to try out at least the latter, seeing how beloved it is (it's actually funny - my attitude towards those early albums -> like - dislike - like - dislike - like - dislike - I mean... WTF???) and I think I turned off Framing Armageddon halfway through. Gave Incorruptible some disjointed listens because of this cup and I wasn't all that enamoured, but it might be because of my prejudice at the time - I mean, if I don't like the "classic" era, right?... Still I'm gonna give it all a try some time.